High-voltage electrode housing and terminal assembly for gaseous discharge tubes



S. C. MILLER Oct. 6,1953 2,654,870

' HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRODE HOUSING AND TERMINAL ASSEMBLY FOR GASEOUSDISCHARGE TUBES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 15, 1949 I II,

' mvsmon Samuel C Miller Oct. 6, 1953 s. c. MILLER 2,654,870HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRODE HOUSING AND TERMINAL ASSEMBLY FOR GASEOUSDISCHARGE TUBES Filed July 13, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 E Z /7 28b Ml Zian V I ///,l

7 1 B. I X L261 28c I I I l L INVENTOR Y Samuel CMiZZeI' 64W ATTORNEYPatented Oct. 6, 1953 HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRODE HOUSING AND TERMINALASSEMBLY FOR GASEOUS DIS- CHARGE TUBES Samuel C. Miller, New York, N.Y.; Rosalie E.

Miller, executrix of said Samuel C. Miller, de-

ceased Application July 13, 1949, Serial No. 104,556

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to insulators and more particularly to highvoltage electrode housing insulators including terminal contact mountstherefor, for use in supporting neon tube sign illuminants in out-doorinstallations of high voltage or cold cathode gaseous discharge tubes.

This invention is an improvement over my invention described and claimedin Patent No. 2,046,960, granted July 7, 1946, and continues in partsome of the features of my invention described in my application forpatent, Serial No. 77,015, filed February 17, 1949, entitled HighVoltage Electrode Housing and Method of Making the Same, now Patent No.2,630,469, issued March 3, 1953.

In my patents aforesaid, I have described a tubular housing,particularly a glass insulator housing contoured for plunger core diecasting operation, which will form an assembly suitable for exteriorinsulating purposes, satisfying the requirements as to drainage ofaccumulated moisture or rain Water, when exposed to the weather on a,framework. The requirements of such insulators include the solution ofthe problem of supporting the terminal mount through which contactbetween the source of power and the electrode is completed.

The insulators of my application and patent aforesaid and the provisionfor attaching and assembling therewith the terminal mount are costly,requiring expensive, skilled labor properly to assemble the terminalmount to the insulator. It is accordingly an object of my invention toprovide a high voltage electrode insulator housing for assembly ofgaseous discharge tubes which will embody therein the features of properdrainage, support for the terminal post for clamping the contact, whichmay have assembled therewith a dust and insect-excluding cap, and which,while retaining all these features, involves substantial economies inthe production of the insulator, especially with glass of theborosilicate type, such as Pyrex, to be susceptible of production byplunger core die-casting operations, while making possible theattachment thereto rigidly of the mount for the terminal post.

Still more particularly, it is an object of my invention to provide ahigh voltage electrode housing of a contour which would make economicalthe production of such insulator of high fusion glass, such asbore-silicate glass of the type known as Pyrex, and including foreconomical combination therewith a terminal mount which will in no wayinterfere with the function of providing proper drainage of theinsulator.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein,or be hereinafter pointed out, I make reference to the accompanyingdrawing forming a part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinalsectional View taken on the line O'--A, O-A of Figure 2 through myelectrode housing and terminal mount showing a fragment of the signframe, to which the electrode is attached;

Figure 2 is an end elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an end view of a housing in accordance with anotherembodiment of my invention;

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an end view of a still further embodiment of my invention;

Figure '7 is a longitudinal sectional view of an insulator in accordancewith Figures 1 and 2, illustrating a modified terminal connection;

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view embodying some of the featuresof my present invention combined with another form of insulator housing.

By way of summary, my invention is characterized by the features ofproviding a tubular housing, particularly of high temperature resistanceand low coeiiicient of expansion, such as is found in high temperatureresistant boro-silicate glass known as Pyrex, and which is contoured forplunger core, die-casting operations, to form its interior with adrainage aperture, whereby the housing may be used as an insulator forilluminants exposed to the weather, and to include a means of supportingthe terminal mount which may be attached thereto as a pre-assembled unitand which, in turn, may be attached to the insulator quickly,economically and rigidly, without interfering with the drainage andinsulator functions of the assembly.

Making reference to the drawing, Figure 1 represents, as in myinventions aforesaid, a fragment of a neon sign frame I0 having a boringI I, through which the insulator housing I2 projects. A cylindrical bodyportion I 3 is formed with a screw threaded section It, to receive thethreaded collar I5 to press the flange I6 thereof against the rear faceof the frame Ill. (The screw-threaded portions are not visible since theparting line, as apparent from Figure 2, is flat.) A flange I'I providesthe abutment for the outer face of the frame I0, which may optionallycooperate with another peripheral flange I8, spaced from the rim I9 toattenuate the surface and increase the path of the stray discharges inthe event of failure. The boring or central aperture 20 may receiveaxially thereof the gaseous discharge tube 2| so as to project itselectrode terminal thimblej; with the spring contact 22;. i

In accordance with my inventi'ontl'ie flared rim end 24 of the insulatorI2 is formed with a finished end by the plunger core die-castingoperation referred to in my prior application, to provide a smoothfinished edgeconfornnng to the mold, and requiring ynq iinishing {Qhration. Exteriorly an annular cylindrical offset constricted neck or seatportion 25 is formed, having a shoulder rim 26, Alongthe line fof theshoulder I may provide diametrically bpposed undercut slots 21, whichare extended medially of the parting line *O- A, 4A, as

explained in my prior application. With this construction, I provide aterminal mounting assembly 28 comprising aferrule portion 29 whose edge30 may abut the annular shoulder 26 and whose flange portion '31 mayabut the fini's'hed edge 24 of the "insulator. The flange I8 :is of adepth primarily to cove the rim 24, leaving it unobstructed except for aportion comprising "the extension tongue '32, which is radially directedtoward the center of the -insulator housing. '"The end of the tongue--32 may be struck up with an eyelet 33 to provide a neck 34 io'ranchoring the loop 35 of the contact spr'ingfl. The shank '31 maylikewise be p'as'sedthr'ough the apertured portion of the webss of theFarm- "sto'ck clip '31 before upsetting the eyelet portion 33.

The terminal meunt assembl 28 as a unit comprising the ferrule 29 towhich is preliminarily attached the contact Spring 23 and the Fahnstockclip 31 may 'be'sle'eved over the offset portion "25 of the housing andby spinnin crimping or otherwise distorting the rim portion 29, drivingthe offset l igs'38 into the 'slot's '2 'i, to engage the undercutsection's thereof. The effect is to draw the flange '3] in contact with"the rim 21 without in any way obscuring the drainage aperture along thewalls of the boring 2"0, itbeing understood'that the housing l2 may beadjusted upon the frame lD to position the tongue '32 at the uppermostlevel prior to lock-- ingthecollar 15 into position.

The ferrule 28 with the covering fiang'ei3l "make'spo'ssibl'e theapplication or the terminal "assembly to the housings in accordance withmy Patent No. 2,046,960. I I I v V H "In the embodiment illustrated inFigures 4 and 1 show a terminal mount assemblyfifllz 'in which theflange 31a. thereof has integrally formed therewith thecro s's bar32adiame'trically of the annular flange. The rim29w may he -applied asin theembodiment illustrated in Figures '1, "2 and '3. In thisconstruction, I may form the cross bar 32a with a squar aperture 33a toreceive the terminal bolt '3lq, having the -usual squared shank as themeans ofclam'p'in'g the lip 3510f the contact spring 23.

"In assembling a ferrule in accordance with the embodiment illustratedin Figures 14 and 5 it will be understood that "the cross bar 32n isarranged on the housing tolie horizontally the rim portion 3mterminating with the wall 2'0 0f the housing in-no way to interfere withthe "drainage.

In Figure 6 I show an end view of another form o'fferrule 28b in whichthe flange iporti'on etc is extended to provide "radial "cross bars 32c.

'4 is formed with a square aperture 330 to receive a square shank of theterminal bolt as in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. Herethe rim 310 is co-terminous with the wall of the boring 20 of thehousing as in the prior iernbodiment, themarro'w dimensions or the cross=b'ars SZcaffOrding littleobstructi'on to the drainage of the boringwhen exposed to the weather.

"cl-ip connection.

*gard to the housing'have primaryutility' w "glass of theeharact erdescribed, itwillhe unner- "s'tood that "the terminal mount assembly mayIn this and in the prior embodiments of the tongue or cross barstiffening may be efiected by stii feningridges where reduction indimensions :are desired, to thereby increase the remaining aperture.

fIn the embodiment shown in Figure '7, I illustrate "the terminal,mounting assembly 28 having extended from the tongue 32 a clip 34d, heldby the eyelet 33. This clip, through a flexible cable 23d, supports aFahnstock clip 23c for quick connection to the pigtail 22d of theelectrode end of the tube -2Id. A terminal mount ass entildl y as "heredescribed illustrates the fakii-lity 1x1 1 ure-8 1: illustrate a housing'l'2q. renewing the cens'trucuongenerally illustrated n; my ratent No.2,0"46;960, as previously'mentioried, in

Wfhidh the central boring I621, has its walls 161) gradually constrictedtoward the Tim 2413 denning the opening. Drainage in this p'articu "liarcas n y be toward 'themouth or the housing. {Howe'ven-a smoothwalled'beari-ngis provided fwhose rim maybe ground down or fracturd by aclean-break operation along the line as descirbed in myprior'application, forming the neck 25b, the shoulder 26b and the undercutslots 21b by the plunger core mol'ding operation.

Av terminal mount-assembly :zae-may-be capped upon a neck 251) inaccordance with any of the embodiments shown in Figures '1 to '1. Therim "ZA'b, under these circumstances, where rem-ea fib'y the cleanbreakoperation "to "leave a sharp r m of somewhat irregular contour,is'protected 'by the-covering afforded'by theferrul'e andifiange 2 and310, respectively.

it will thus be observed that 1 haveprbxri'cled a housing which may "be'in'oulded particularly of the g lafss *as described by adie-castingpliinger core operation, permitting the use or la typ'e ofglass "which -'woiild ordinarily be una'vailabl'e for the production [ofhigh voltage =e1ectroue inous- 'ings, and likewise permitting resort toa C'lEa IP :b'reak' operation for severing one end of the housing soproduced, with little or no operations bygrinding required, as foundneces- '-"s'ar yi-n'the productio'n'of'a housing in accordance with missued patent 'aforem'ention'ed, since the terminal mount assembly isanchored primarily upon ''a smooth rnolded finish *exteriorly "of the"housing and where a "cl'ean bre'al: is esortied lto, is covered byeither the dust cap shown 'in the embodiment illustrated Figures 1 to 7or by the "terminal mount assembl'y 'illnstrated in Figure '8.Substantial economies are '{efi ected in the labor of making -th'einsulator "and assembling the terminal'lnount with the insulator.

While the features of invention with rethe have utility with i nsnlatois"similarly eentenr ea with "the seat or neck for "the terin in'all:moufit,

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a, high voltage tubular electrode housing of insulating material,for supporting an electrode tube on a frame, the housing having asubstantially cylindrically contoured exterior body portion, a mouth atone end through which an electrode tube may pass, and a rim at the otherend with flange means between said ends adjacent said mouth for mountingthe housing to the frame, the interior of said housing being outlined bya wall continuously extended toward the rim end forming a drainagepassage extended to the rim end and said rim end having indentationsexteriorly positioned forming seat portions, the combination therewithof a supporting terminal mounting made of electrical conducting materialadjacent said rim end having finger portions extending into said seatportions holding said mounting means against displacement relatively tosaid housing, the mounting means carrying a contact terminal extendinginwardly toward the center of the tubular housing and said mountingmeans also having other portions integral therewith and substantiallycovering said rim end solely, leaving a substantially clear passage fordrainage.

2. A housing assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said terminalmounting means includes a ferrule portion from which the finger portionsare extended into said seat portions, said mounting means also includinga flange extended from said ferrule portion covering said rimsubstantially coterminously with said rim end adjacent said passage, andsaid mounting means also including a radial arm for said terminaldirected over said passage and extended,

SAMUEL C. MILLER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,046,960 Miller July '7, 1936 2,259,378 Heidkamper Oct. 14,1941 2,344,815 Guyral Mar. 21, 1944

